Bea Cannon - A Small Gray Dot

I threw it trying to hit the pavement behind it so that the flaming gas would run down and make contact with the jeep from its underside where some of the gas spread over the interior was dripping. I threw it too high and the bottle sailed over, hit the flat metal frame on top of the jeep and shattered. Even better. There was a flare as the cocktail fuel ignited and rained down inside, and a whoosh as fire hit the gas that was all over the seats.

We lit and threw more cocktails towards the vehicles. They hit the pavement, breaking and spreading flames beneath them. Then we exited the trees and ran down the side of building. As we sped toward the back, apparently one of our bombs got lucky with a gas tank because a loud blast sent a bright ball of fire out into the night. By the time we rounded the corner and headed for the back door, there was a full-fledged conflagration out front – and a lot of hollering had started.

We got through the door – apparently, none of the Binqua believed in checking so it was unlocked – and sprinted up the stairwell to the second floor. We burst through the doors at the top – and right into a gaggle of Binqua milling in the hall. I didn’t know how many there were but if they had guns, they weren’t using them.

I plowed in and took one to the floor. He let loose with one of those weird giggles as I punched him in the face, then I hit the release on my knife and slashed down. Oily blue blood flew and I rolled off. Duncan, Lem, and Percy, without knives and too close to use their rifles, were each grappling with an opponent, punching and kicking, and I was coming to my feet, ready to take on another when suddenly, the back of my head exploded and everything grayed out before going dark.

LIGHT GRADUALLY FILTERED IN. I WAS LYING on the floor on my back staring up at a white ceiling. I brought my eyes down, and found myself looking at Talbert.

He was sitting stiffly in a hard backed wooden chair holding my .357. Oddly, he wasn’t looking at me and the gun wasn’t pointed in my direction.

Instead, his face was pale and he looked scared as he stared at something behind me. I remained still. I closed my eyes to a slit and slid them to the left. Duncan, Lem, and Percy, wearing frustrated looks, were sitting on the floor with their hands on top of their heads. From that, I didn’t think we were still in the hall.

Duncan flicked his eyes at me but the only indication from him that he’d noticed I was conscious was a slight widening of his eyes. Judging by the muffled noises coming from out front, I hadn’t been out long, only a matter of a few minutes.

“What th’ fuck is up with y’all?” said a voice from near where the aliens had to be. “Y’all some kinda freaks… ain’t no human got blood like that, y’all some goddamn UFO aliens! Whadda you really want with th’ girl? I thought all y’all wanted was to put a little heat on her sister… to git a better deal. What, y’all gonna stick something up her ass or something? Naw, naw, that ain’t right…” he trailed off muttering to himself.

I gathered the voice belonged to the guard who’d helped cart Morgan down to the company. He was likely upset at having seen – and smelled – the blood of the alien I’d slashed. I’d cut the Binqua’s throat so he was probably dead. The other Binqua were behind me, near what I thought must be the door to the room, and no doubt were staring at the big gun Talbert was holding. They were quiet. I wondered where Henderson was and got my answer in the next moment.

“Y’all just stay right where you are,” said Talbert, his voice strained. “We’re gonna all just stay here quietly, and wait on Mr. Henderson to finish handling that shit out front.” He looked to where the guard was. “Slim, bring Morgan over here. I don’t want her near these… these… freaks until we find out what the fuck’s going on.”

There was a shuffling noise and Slim stepped around me half-walking, half-carrying a dazed Morgan. There was probably a chair or couch back there since, in that condition, she wouldn’t have been able to stand for long. He lowered her into a chair where she slumped to one side.

He was not the guard who’d been with Talbert before. I guess that one stayed behind this time. He probably had a headache – and a sore tongue.

I’d kept my eyes narrowed to a slit so I couldn’t see much, but Morgan didn’t look good. Slim stayed beside her squatting down next to her chair. He had a .45 in one hand but he and Talbert were keeping their eyes and guns on the aliens, more interested in them than in us.

I remained motionless and took inventory. I felt all right. Again, my hard head had sustained only minor damage. It hurt and it would be sore the next day, but there was no dizziness or nausea and I could ignore the headache. I was still wearing my jacket though it had been opened and the gun removed from my shoulder holster. The knife I’d used to slash the alien was gone. They hadn’t been very thorough and had missed the mini .45 up my sleeve.

I didn’t intend to lie there until Henderson showed up but I was going to have to act fast. I rolled my eyes back to Duncan and he was looking at me. I slid my eyes toward Slim, who was concentrating on the aliens, and raised an eyebrow. Duncan gave an almost imperceptible nod. His elbow touched Percy’s and Percy shot a look at him, and then noticed me. He leaned slightly forward, bumping Lem at the same time. Lem frowned at him until he motioned with his eyes, and Lem looked at me. I shut one eye completely and they kept theirs on me.

I sprang into action, coming up and covering the few feet to Talbert in a jump. Once in motion, my head spun for a second but I managed to slam into him. I squeezed his hand, forcing him to drop the gun. He yelled as his chair went over, crashing us both to the floor with me on top. He looked stunned. I snatched up the gun and rolled off him, turning in time to blow a large hole in one of the Binqua who’d come unfrozen and started toward us.

While I was handling Talbert, Duncan crashed into Slim. He knocked him into the corner and punched him in the jaw, cracking his head against the floor. Duncan grabbed his gun from where it landed when they fell.

Percy and Lem lunged for something on the other side of me and when I heard gunfire, I realized they’d gone for their guns.

“Look out, Tenn!” shouted Duncan as two more Binqua ran forward. They didn’t actually seem to be trying to rush me; instead they were going for something on the floor.

I was on one knee and I snapped the release for my mini .45, and fired both guns getting both aliens. I blasted another one as Duncan, Lem, and Percy fired their weapons. We kept shooting until they all lay on the floor in a spreading pool of stinking oily gore, not moving. I didn’t think they were going to be able to heal themselves. It was over in less than a minute. Duncan had exhausted the bullets from the .45 he’d taken from Slim so he threw it down and picked up his rifle while also retrieving the .45 I’d given him back at Bedlow’s house.

That’s when I noticed the object I’d taken from Bedlow’s room had fallen from my back pocket as I jumped Talbert. The Binqua were trying hard to get it. That was interesting. I was definitely going to have to remember to have Dr. Bennett take a look at it. I grabbed it and this time, I shoved it into one of my inside jacket pockets.

I stood, reloading the mini from the ammo stash inside my jacket. There was no time to put it into its holder so I stuck it in a pocket. Talbert started to get up. I pointed the .357 at him and moved over to where Morgan still sat, her head weaving in a circle. From the corner where he’d slid when Duncan tackled him, Slim groaned and began to sit up.